


Freedom to Be

by raidelle



Series: Raidelle's Alphabet Prompts [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Dancing, Episode Ignis Verse 2, Established Relationship, Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Episode Ignis Verse 2, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 07:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15310437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raidelle/pseuds/raidelle
Summary: Ignis is stressed-out from the restoration efforts for Insomnia. Noctis knows how to make him feel better.





	Freedom to Be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aliatori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aliatori/gifts).



> The prompt was **Unfettered** for Ignoct, set in Episode Ignis: Verse 2 ending.
> 
> Enjoy reading and please let me know what you think. ^^

It had been another long day.

Ignis braced his hands on the shower wall, letting the hot water beat down on his back in a desperate attempt to loosen the knots of stress that had accumulated after ten hours of meetings, writing reports, and arguing with council members.

Saving Eos was cake, as Noctis would say so uncouthly, compared to restoring Insomnia. Ignis honestly would rather take on a couple of Red Giants on his own than be subjected to any more of Councilman Ducarthe’s diatribes. Indeed, it was only when Noctis placed a warm, reassuring hand on his thigh did he calm down enough to take a deep breath and tell the councilman to go to hell. Or something to that effect.

Ignis shook his head, as if to rid his thoughts of the memory. He planned to rest tonight, not dwell on things that are now beyond his control. Besides, his subconscious would do well enough of a job to remind him of today’s folly.

Finally conceding that he would need something more than a hot shower to get rid of the tension in his shoulders, Ignis turned off the water, shrugged into a robe, and padded barefoot to his bedroom.

He was surprised to find Noctis sitting on the bench at the foot of the bed.

“How are you?” Noctis asked, concern evident in his eyes.

“I would say fine but you’d know I’m lying,” Ignis said. “So I would simply admit that I’m very, _very_ tired.”

After a beat, he added, “How did you get in?”

With a winsome smile that smoothed the weariness from his beautiful face, Noctis said, “You keep your keys in the Armiger.”

“And you thought that gave you permission?” Ignis raised an eyebrow, trying to inject displeasure into his tone. It was he who had insisted on such boundaries, after all. But if his King’s expression is anything to go by, his attempt at playing coy failed rather dismally.

“You’re already using the Armiger, which by blood-right is mine, to keep some personal stuff,” Noctis shrugged. “So I can argue that you’re what, a quarter of the way moved in with me already?”

Ignis shook his head fondly and smiled. “Yes, you can argue that, I suppose.”

“I don’t want to argue, though.” Noctis stood to wrap his arms around Ignis. “Because I have an idea how I can make you feel better.”

Ignis hummed in satisfaction as Noctis nuzzled at his ear. “Hmm, and what might that be?”

Noctis gave an earlobe a quick, playful nip before disentangling himself. He trailed a hand down one arm, then linked their fingers and gave a gentle tug to lead Ignis back out of the room.

“Well, let me get dressed first if we’re going out,” Ignis said. He couldn’t help the tiny hint of disappointment that colored his voice.

“You look fine,” Noctis grinned at him. “More than fine. And we’re not going out ‘out’ anyway. Just a couple of floors up.”

A couple of floors up was the throne room.

“Noct, you’re not –”

“Come on!” He tugged at Ignis’s hand again, so much like the way he did when they were children and he was convincing Ignis to come with him on another nighttime excursion.

Much like this one, Ignis mused. And so he let himself be led.

*****

They mercifully did not encounter anyone on their way up, and Ignis breathed a sigh of relief. It may be after hours but it simply would not do to be seen with the King in such a state of dress. Or undress, as the case is now.

“Noct?” Ignis prompted. The room was empty and completely dark, save from the faint glow of Insomnia filtering in through the arched windows on either side the throne.

“Remember the Hundredth Day Ball we held last week?”

“Of course.” How could Ignis forget. He was the one who’d made sure everything went smoothly in their celebration of the New Dawn. “What about it?”

Noctis fiddled with his phone; a couple of swipes later and an Altissian waltz began playing. He turned the volume up a few times then pocketed the phone again. “We didn’t get to dance. So.”

Tears pricked at Ignis’s eyes when Noctis held out a hand to him and said, “May I?”

“You should have let me dress.”

“And have you go all stiff and formal on me?” Noctis teased.

“I wouldn’t have,” Ignis insisted.

“Maybe not. But I like you like this. You look…” Noctis let his gaze travel down and up Ignis’s body, from the tips of his bare feet to his disheveled hair. “You look free. And beautiful. Always beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Ignis whispered.

Noctis smiled a brilliant, genuine smile then wiggled the fingers of his outstretched hand. “Now come on, Specs. Don’t leave me hanging.”

Ignis put his hand on Noctis’s and said, “If you know what’s good for you and for me, you will let me lead.”

“Of course.”

And so the Chamberlain swept his King across the floor in a dance that felt like his true homecoming.

They danced until the music died, and then they simply stood in the middle of the floor, wrapped up in each other and swaying to a melody that only the two of them knew by heart.

“Specs?” Noctis looked up from where he had lain his head on his Ignis’s chest.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“I love you.”

The tears that had been burning behind his eyes finally fell. He could not speak, not yet, but Ignis thought Noctis understood the words painted by his tears.

Nevertheless, he cradled Noctis’s face in his hands and brought their lips in a soul-searing kiss.

Thank you for loving me.

I love you, too.


End file.
